Brazil. Accessibility software will soon have an update to the features of digital TV. Much more than legends, the hearing impaired will be able to count on real-time translation through an avatar that presents the content in the Brazilian Signal Language (LIBRAS).
"This technology is a great advance in relation to the access of hearing impaired to the programming of open television, as it increases the viability of implementation in stations and vehicles of various sizes," explained José Marcelo Amaral, president of the Brazilian Forum of Digital Terrestrial TV, SBTVD Forum.
There is difficulty in implementing the LIBRAS in the programming network of the stations in the face of the difficulty of finding professionals suitable to work in that area due to the costs of hiring that professional. "With the avatar fully operational, the cost of implementation will fall drastically and more people will be able to enjoy free-to-air TV programming without communication barriers," the executive analyzed.
The new option works in a very simple way. The avatar is programmed to read the closed caption that is already available on all devices that made the transition from analog to digital. From a decoding of these words, the doll in the corner of the screen moves according to the specific language for the hearing impaired.
Since 2015, the Forum of the Brazilian Digital TV System (SBTVD Forum) has been working on the development of standards that can serve the public with visual and hearing impairments. "TV is a communication vehicle of extreme importance in the country, since it is present in more than 90% of homes. It is one of the most popular means of communication when it comes to access to information. And information is everyone's right," concluded the president of the institution.
